How to Deal with Kitchen and Bathroom Mold

If inhaled, mold can be extremely hazardous to your health-it is also unsightly and makes a bathroom look like something straight out of a sleazy 1950's era roadside motel.

The best way to deal with mold is to apply a strong cleaning agent, allow it to soak in and do its work, and then scrub aggressively. Finally, you will want to wash with water to remove any lingering chemical agent-it can cause skin irritation or damage, so you certainly don't want any left in your sink, bathtub, or kitchen tile floor.

I personally recommend Tilex brand of mold remover; a bottle will cost you about $3.99 in the United States and should last for six months to a year, if not longer.

Spray Tilex on the affected mold areas and allow it to sit for a minute. Then rinse and scrub using a sponge or thick paper towels-you will probably need a sponge. Also, be sure to wear latex gloves or yellow kitchen gloves so that you avoid direct skin contact with the Tilex cleaning agent.

If the mold is already in the bath tub's grout, it is possible Tilex treatment will not get rid of it all. If this is the case, and mold still remains after a thorough Tilex spraying and cleaning, you will need to remove the grout and regrout the area.

If you don't know how to do this, bring in a professional contractor who can do it for you. Once your bathtub has new grout lining, be vigilant! At the first sign of mold, spray Tilex and wash away the mold.

Similarly, you can do preventive grout cleanings from time to time with a few sprays of the cleaning agent and then wipe down the area using a sponge with hot water.

How dangerous is mold, anyway, you may be thinking to yourself. It honestly depends on the "varietal" of mold and how much of it there is, but you don't want to take any chances as it can kill. If you have ever been in an unkempt subway station, you know that mold-if left unchecked-can cover large swaths of wall and ceiling, eventually becoming a major health hazard and causing damage to property.

You don't want to wait until the point where your bathtub or tile floor has so much mold that it cannot be removed without professional assistance. Make it a point to do preventive cleanings at least once per month and don't allow "stagnant water" to form in your bathtub; use a washrag if necessary to wipe up excess water after showering or bathing.